Take 5 for Dec. 7 to 9

Growing up in Norfolk, whenever someone in Jeff Simmermon's circle of friends and family told a story that sounded too good to be true, they'd always add the disclaimer "and I am not lying."

"And I Am Not Lying" is now the name of Simmermon's variety show that features storytelling, stand-up comedy and burlesque. "And I Am Not Lying" comes to the Black Cat on Sunday,

"The spirit of it is this: I go to a lot of storytelling shows, I go to a lot of comedy shows, I go to a lot of burlesque shows, and they're all great, but they all kind of run together after a while," said Simmermon, who lives in New York. "Burlesque shows can get too skanky after a while. Comedy show can get bitter and mean. And, storytellers can get a little too sweater-vesty and earnest and rip drama out of places that are not dramatic. Why don't we take the best of both and make a mix tape out of it? If I'm going to be up there talking about my little feelings for 10 or 20 minutes, maybe that's not for everybody, but stick around, because we're bringing out a naked lady."

The live show started as a blog by the same name that Simmermon describes as part classic narcissism, part art and culture stories. Two years ago, he and some friends decided to translate the blog idea to the stage.

"Doing real things is a lot more fulfilling to me these days than just having an Internet presence," Simmermon said.

"And I Am Not Lying" is weighted toward the storytelling, which Simmermon calls "true enough" or "enhanced reality." Sunday's show will also feature a comic, burlesque and "boylesque" from Go-Go Harder.

Simmermon and cohorts put on "And I Am Not Lying" frequently in New York, and this is the third time he's brought the production to D.C. Simmermon lived in the Adams Morgan for three years before moving to New York.

"How can we make storytelling more like a rock show, more like a midnight movie, a little more visceral?" Simmermon said.